Sofa bed folding fixture

ABSTRACT

A folding fixture for a sofa bed having a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end with each section comprising a pair of bars at opposite sides of the fixture and with a bedspring for supporting a mattress extending between and connected to the side bars. The fixture is foldable so the sections along with the mattress and the bedspring may be disposed in the sofa in a retracted position wherein one of the sections constituting a body section extends generally horizontally bottomwise of the sofa. Means is provided extending between the side bars of the body section adjacent its rearward end for supporting the bedspring when the fixture is in its stated retracted position. This bedspring support means is carried by linkage means operable by the folding and unfolding of the fixture for moving the bedspring support means between a lowered retracted position permitting the bedspring to yield downward under the weight of a user when the fixture is unfolded for use as a bed and a raised position relative to the body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yielding when the fixture is retracted for use as a sofa.

United States Patent 1 Eakins [4 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] SOFA BED FOLDINGFIXTURE [57] ABSTRACT Inventor: Pall] Eakills, Saint Louis, MO. Afolding fixture for a sofa bed having a plurality of [73] Assignee.Foster Browns Manufacturing sections pivotally connected togetherend-to-end with Com an St Louis Mo each section comprising a pair ofbars at opposite p sides of the fixture and with a bedspring forsupporting [22] Filed: June 10, 1971 a mattress extending between andconnected to the side bars. The fixture is foldable so the sectionsalong [211 App! 151758 with the mattress and the bedspring may bedisposed v in the sofa in a retracted position wherein one of the [52]U.S. Cl ..5/l3, 5/29 ct n constituting a body section extends generally51 Int. Cl ..A47c 17 14 horizontally bottomwise f the sofa- Means isProvided [58] Field of Search ..5/l3, 17, 29 extending between the Sidebars of the body Section adjacent its rearward end for supporting thebedspring [56] References Cited when the fixture is in its statedretracted position. This bedspring support means is carried by linkagemeans UNITED STATES PATENTS operable by the folding and unfolding of thefixture for moving the bedspring support means between a lS-leltonlowered retracted position permitting the p i g to 11/1966 1 g yielddownward under the weight of a user when the 32O9378 10,1965 ggz ifixture is unfolded for use as a bed and a raised position relative tothe body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it up againstdownward yielding Primary Examm,er CaSlmr Nunberg when the fixture isretracted for use as a sofa. Attorney-Koemg, Senmger, Powers & Leavrtt 4Claims, 4 Drawing Figures r O f o I 0 39 5 5| 131 3 fi Is; 7| m9 I23 '05A07 4 I09 53 i 43'' 9 25 57 75 '2' 67 o l I27 9 '10 9 8| I 7a 7e 77 v l59 63 B3 87 r 37 80 3 0 ll l l b I 2 s 33 l d M33 3| 3 45 l PATENTEDJM16 I375 3710.402

SHEET 2 BF 2 a FIG.2

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to sofa beds, andmore particularly to a folding fixture for a sofa bed.

The invention is especially concerned with a folding fixture for a sofabed of the type referred to in the art as a four-section rise-overfixture, although its principles may be applicable to other types offixtures, As will be understood by those familiar with the art, afour-section rise-over fixture comprises a head section, a bodysection,.an intermediate section and a foot section (the outer section)pivoted together end-to-end. When unfolded, the fixture extendshorizontally forward from adjacent the back of the sofa over the frontrail of the sofa, the foot, intermediate and body sections beingsupported on legs which unfold as the fixture is swung out of the sofaand unfolded. The fixture is adapted for folding over of the footsection on top of the body section and retraction of the entire fixtureinto the sofa with the head section extending upward within the back ofthe sofa, the body section extending generally horizOntally forward fromthe lower end of the head section, the intermediate section extendingupward from the forward end of the body section immediately behind thefront rail of the base of the sofa, and the foot section extendinghorizontally rearward from the upper end of the intermediate section.The foot section then constitutes a support for the seat cushion orcushions of the sofa. In extending the fixture for use as a bed, afterremoval of the seat cushion or cushions of the sofa, the intermediatesection is pulled up from behind the front rail and the fixture is swungout over the front rail, rising over the front rail (hence thedescription of the fixture as a rise-over fixture) to extend the headsection, and body section, after which the foot section and intermediatesection are unfolded. It will be understood that the fixture comprisestwo suitable cross-connected opposite sideassemblies with a bedspringstructure extending therebetween for supporting a mattress, and that, infolding up the fixture, the mattress is correspondingly folded, and isretracted, in is folded condition, into the sofa along with the fixture.

Reference may be made to such U.S. Pat. Nos. as 3,239,851, 3,380,083 and3,284,814 for a showing of four-section rise-over sofa bed fixtures suchas above described.

Fixtures of the type above described are well known in the art and havenow been on the market for a number of years. Generally, they requirethat some type of support means be provided extending across the fixturebetween the two opposite side assemblies forward of and adjacent theforward (lower) end of the head section (the rearward end of the bodysection) for supporting the bedspring structure, which is typically awire mesh spring, to keep the wire mesh and the mattress supportedthereby from sagging at the rearward end of the body section under theweight of a person or persons seated on the sofa when the fixture is inits retracted, folded condition within the sofa. Such a support means inthe form of a tubular bar fixed at its ends to the side bars of the bodysection of the frame is shown (unnumbered) in FIGS. 1 and 2 of said U.S.Pat. No. 3,380,083. However, this has presented the problem that, whenthe fixture is extended, the stated wire mesh supporting meansundesirably keeps the wire mesh spring from yielding downwardly underthe weight of a person lying on the mattress of the sofa bed, and thisunyielding support of the mesh on the line of the supporting meansacross the: bed is unfortunately felt through the mattress by the personto his discomfort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, among the several objects of thisinvention may be noted the provision of a folding fixture for a sofa bedof the class above described having means for supporting the bedspringag'tinst sagging across the bottom rear region of the bedsr ring whenthe fixture is folded and disposed in retracted position in the sofa,with this means being retracted downward away from the bedspring whenthe fixture is unfolded and extended from the sofa for use as a bed toallow the bedspring to yield under the weight of the user; the provisionof a folding fixture with such means which covers and protects the frontrail of the sofa frame from damage by excessive downward yielding of thebedspring when the fixture is unfolded for use as a bed; and theprovision of such a fixture provided with such means in a simple,economical manner.

In general, a folding fixture of this invention comprises a plurality ofsections pivotally connected together end-to-end, each of the sectionscomprising a pair of bars at opposite sides of the fixture. A bedspringspans the side bars of the sections andv is connected at its sides tothe side bars. The sections along with a mattress supported on thebedspring are adapted to be folded and disposed in the sofa in aretracted position wherein one section constituting, a body sectionextends generally horizontally bottomwise within the sofa, anothersection constituting an intermediate section extends upward from the endof the body section at the front of the sofa, and a third sectionconstituting a foot section extends generally horizontally rearward fromthe upper end of the intermediate section. Means is provided extendingbetween the side bars of the body section adjacent its rearward end forsupporting the bedspring when the fixture is in its retracted positionwithin the sofa. This bedspring support means is mounted for up and downmovement relative to the body section between a lowered retractedposition relative to the body section spaced from the bedspringpermitting the bedspring to yield downward, and a raised positionrelative to the body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it upagainst downward yielding. Linkage means is provided which is operableby the folding and unfolding of thefixture and connected to thebedspring support means for moving the latter to its raised positionwhen the fixture is folded and disposed in its retracted position in thesofa and for moving the bedspring support means to its lowered retractedposition when the fixture is unfolded out of the sofa.

Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointedout hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial perspective viewof a fixture of this invention in its completely unfolded position withthe sofa frame omitted for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, thesofa frame being shown in section, and the fixture being partiallyfolded;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing the fixture in anintermediate position; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the fixture in itsfully folded retracted position within the sofa frame.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

I DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings,reference numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a four-section rise-overfolding fixture of this invention for a sofa, the frame of which isindicated generally at 3. The fixture has a head section 5, an inner orbody section 7, an intermediate section 9 and an outer or foot section11 pivotally connected together end-to-end. Each section comprises apair of side bars at opposite sides thereof, these bars beingangle-section bars each arranged with one ofits legs extendingvertically and its other extending inward from what amounts to the loweredge of the vertical leg. The side bars of the respective sections 5, 7,9 and 11 are indicated at 13, 15, 17 and 19 in FIGS. 1-4. A bedspring 21for supporting a mattress (not shown) spans the side bars of the foursections. This bedspring, as is conventional, consists of a wire meshattached at its sides to the horizontal legs of the angle-iron side barsby coil tension springs as indicated at 23. The head section has acrossbar 25 at its rearward end and the foot section has a crossbar 27at its forward end, and the bedspring 21 is also attached at its ends tothese crossbars by coil tension springs as indicated at 29.

The sofa frame 3, as herein illustrated, comprises a base 31 on legs 33,a back frame structure 35, a front rail 37 and end frames 39. A member43 extends horizontally between the end frames with its lower edge at anelevation somewhat above the elevation of the top edge of the front rail37.

The fixture 1 has at each side thereof a support 45 constituted by anelongate flat metal bar which is mounted in position extendinghorizontally on the inside of the respective'end frame 39 of the sofaframe (it will be understood that there are two such bars 45, one ateach side of the fixture). Extending up from each bar 45 adjacent oneend constituting its rearward end is a post 47. An S-shaped arm 49 ispivoted for swinging movement on a horizontal axis extending inend-to-end direction in respect to the sofa at the upper end of thepost.

The pivotal pin connection between the head section 5 and the bodysection 7 is indicated at 51. The pivotal pin connection between thebody section and the intermediate section 9 is indicated at 53, and thepivotal pin connection between the intermediate section and the footsection 11 is indicated at 55. A head section support link 57interconnects arm 49 and the pivotal interconnection 51 between the headsection 5 and the body section 7. This link 57 is pin-connected to arm49 at its free end as indicated at 59. The side bars 13 of the headsection are connected intermediate their ends by a crossbar 61 and thisassembly constitutes a so-called TV head rest section adapted to besupported from the support links 57 in any suitable known manner. Asecond arm 63 is pivoted for swinging movement on the bar 45 at 65 abouta horizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the pivotal axisof the first arm 49, pivot 65 being located adjacent the front end ofbar 45. A bell crank 67 is pivoted at 69 on the outside of bar 15 of thebody section at about midway the length of the latter. A lever 71 ispivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of arm 63 as indicated at73. Lever 71 is pivotally interconnected to link 57 at 74 adjacent itsrearward end 75 which is angled down toward a connecting link 76 and ispivotally interconnected with the latter by a pin 77. The rear end oflink 76 is pivotally connected to arm 49 at 78. The front end of lever71 is pivotally interconnected with the upper end of bell crank 67 by apin at 79.

A folding leg 80 is pivoted at 81 on the side of body section 7 adjacentits front end and a folding leg 83 is pivoted on a pin at 85 on theoutside of the side bar 19 of foot section 11 adjacent its front end forsupporting the body section 7, the intermediate section 9 and the footsection 1 1 when unfolded. A link 87 interconnects the lower end of bellcrank 67 and leg 80 for folding and unfolding the latter. A link 89 isinterconnected between the outside of side bar 17 of intermediatesection 9 at 91 and the upper end of leg 83 at 93 for folding andunfolding leg 83.

Means'is provided for locking the foot section 11 down against theexpansionary tendency of the folded mattress (not shown) when thefixture 1 is folded into the sofa frame 3 (as shown in FIG. 4). Thismeans comprises a bell crank 95 pivoted at 53 between the body andintermediate sections on the outside of side bar 17. A link 97 has a pinand slot connection 97a at one end with link 87, and a pin and slotconnection 97b at the other end with bell crank 95. A link 99interconnects the upper end of bell crank 95 and the foot section 11 at101. The bell crank 95 has a lateral ear 103 at its lower end engageablewith link 99 as appears in FIG. 4. The arrangement is such that when thefixture is folded into the sofa, the bell crank 95 acts via link 99 topull the footsection toward the body section.

A link 105 has a pin connection 107 with the side bar 17 of theintermediate section 9 and a pin and slot connection at 109 with theside bar 15 of body section 7. A counterbalance spring 111 is connectedbetween a lower end extension 113 of arm 63 and bar 45.

In accordance with this invention, means generally indicated at 115extends between the side bars 15 of body section 7 adjacent the rearwardend thereof for supporting bedspring 21 against downward yielding whenthe fixture l is in its fully retracted position within the sofa asappears in FIG. 4. This bedspring support means comprises a generallydownwardly facing channel bar mounted for up and down movement relativeto the body section 7 between a lowered retracted position (as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2) relative to the body section spaced from the bedspring 21permitting the bedspring to yield downward under the weight of a personor persons reclining on the mattress when the fixture is unfolded, and araised position (as shown in FIG. 4) relative to the body section 7contiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yieldingunder the weight of a person sitting on the sofa when the fixture isfolded in the sofa frame. As generally indicated at 117, linkage meansis provided operable by the folding and unfolding of the fixture andconnected to channel bar 115 for moving the latter to its raisedposition when the fixture is folded and disposed in its retractedposition in the sofa and for moving the channel member to its loweredretracted position when the fixture is folded out of the sofa.

Linkage means 117 comprises a pair of pivot arms 119, one at each sideof the fixture, carrying the channel member 115 at their free ends forswinging movement between its raised and lowered positions. Each arm 119is pivoted at one end as indicated at 121 on a lug 123 secured to theoutside of the respective side bar of the body section 7 forward ofpivot 73, this lug extending down below the side bar 15. Arm 119 isformed from an angle iron, with one leg in a vertical plane, and with anextension 125 of its other leg at its end away from the pivot 121. Thechannel member 115 is secured at its ends as indicated at 127 to thebottom of the extensions 125 of arms 119, and is thus swingable up anddown relative to the body section 7 about the axis of the pivot pins at121. Linkage means 117 further comprises a pair of links 129, one ateach side of the fixture, each linking the lever 71 and the arm 119 atits respective side of the fixture, the pin connections of the link 129to the lever 71 and arm 119 being indicated at 131 and 133,respectively.

In the retracted position of the fixture l, as shown in FIG. 4, the bodysection 7 extends generally horizontally bottomwise within the sofa, theintermediate section 9 extends upward from the forward end of the bodysection 7 at the front of the sofa immediately in back of the front rail37, and the foot section 11 extends generally horizontally rearward fromthe upper end of the intermediate section. The head section 5 extends upfrom the rear end of the bottom section 7 in the back of the sofa. Thetwo levers 71 at the opposite sides of the fixture occupy a raisedposition relative to the body section 7 (see FIG. 4) and thus hold thelinks 129 pulled up to hold up the channel member 115 in its raisedposition relative to the body section 7 extending across the bodysection 7 just below the bottom flanges of the angle-iron side bars 15of the bottom section contiguous to the bedspring 21 holding up thebedspring against downward yielding. In this regard, it will beunderstood that when the fixture is folded into the sofa (along with themattress supported on the bedspring), the sofa cushion or cushions areapplied to the top of the foot section for seating on the sofa. Thechannel member 115, in its stated raised position, supports thebedspring against sagging across the bottom rear region of the bedspringunder the weight of a person or persons seated on the sofa.

When the fixture is unfolded and extended from the sofa for use as abed, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the levers 71 at opposite sides of thefixture act via the links 129 to swing the arms 119 downwardly withrespect to the bottom section 7, thus swinging the channel member 115downwardly away from the bottom section 7 and bedspring 21. This actionof the levers 71 results from the unfolding of the head section 5 andthe body section 7. The arrangement is made such that the channel member115 swings downwardly to the lowered retracted position of FIG. 2overlying the upper edge of the front rail 37 to protect it from saggingof the bedspring. It will be understood that in the fully extendedposition of the fixture, the sections 5, 7, 9 and 11 will behorizontally aligned, and that legs 80 and 83 will be fully unfolded forsupporting the sections. On refolding of the fixture and its retractioninto the sofa, the channel member is automatically returned to its .FIG. 4 raised position relative to the bottom section 7 by the action ofthe levers 71.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What is claim is:

l. A folding fixture for a sofa bed comprising a plurality of sectionspivotally connected together end-toend, each of said sections comprisinga pair of bars at opposite sides thereof, a bedspring spanning the saidside bars of said sections and connected at its sides to said side bars,said sections along with a mattress supported on the bedspring beingadapted to be folded and disposed in the sofa in a retracted positionwherein one section constituting a body section extends generallyhorizontally bottomwise within the sofa, another section constituting anintermediate section extends upward from the forward end of the bodysection at the front of the sofa, and a third section constituting afoot section extends generally horizontally rearward from the upper endof the intermediate section, and means extending between the side barsof the body section adjacent its rearward end for supporting thebedspring when the fixture is in its retracted position within the sofa,said means being mounted for up and down movement relative to said bodysection between a lowered retracted position relative to said bodysection spaced from the bedspring permitting the bedspring to yielddownward, and a raised position :relative to said body sectioncontiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yielding, andlinkage means operable by the folding and unfolding of the fixture andconnected to said bedspring support means for moving said support meansto its raised position when the fixture is folded and disposed in itsretracted position in the sofa and for moving said bedspring supportmeans to its lowered retracted position when the fixture is unfolded outof the sofa.

3. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bedspringsupport means is a. downwardly facing channel member.

4. A fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fixture has at eachside thereof a support adapted to be mounted in the base of a sofa at arespective side of the base, a first arm pivoted for swinging movementon the support on a horizontal axis extending in end-toend direction inrespect to the sofa,

a head section support link interconnecting said first arm and thepivotal interconnection between the t head section and the body section,

a second arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on ahorizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the axis of saidfirst arm,

a bell crank pivoted on the side of the body section,

a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of said secondarm having one end constituting its rearward end pivotallyinterconnected with said

1. A folding fixture for a sofa bed comprising a plurality of sectionspivotally connected together end-to-end, each of said sectionscomprising a pair of bars at opposite sides thereof, a bedspringspanning the said side bars of said sections and connected at its sidesto said side bars, said sections along with a mattress supported on thebedspring being adapted to be folded and disposed in the sofa in aretracted position wherein one section constituting a body sectionextends generally horizontally bottomwise within the sofa, anothersection constituting an intermediate sEction extends upward from theforward end of the body section at the front of the sofa, and a thirdsection constituting a foot section extends generally horizontallyrearward from the upper end of the intermediate section, and meansextending between the side bars of the body section adjacent itsrearward end for supporting the bedspring when the fixture is in itsretracted position within the sofa, said means being mounted for up anddown movement relative to said body section between a lowered retractedposition relative to said body section spaced from the bedspringpermitting the bedspring to yield downward, and a raised positionrelative to said body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it upagainst downward yielding, and linkage means operable by the folding andunfolding of the fixture and connected to said bedspring support meansfor moving said support means to its raised position when the fixture isfolded and disposed in its retracted position in the sofa and for movingsaid bedspring support means to its lowered retracted position when thefixture is unfolded out of the sofa.
 2. A folding fixture as set forthin claim 1 wherein said sofa comprises a frame having a front rail overwhich said fixture rises as it is unfolded from its retracted positionwithin the sofa, and wherein said bedspring support means overlies saidfront rail when said fixture is unfolded and the bedspring support meansis in its lowered retracted position.
 3. A folding fixture as set forthin claim 2 wherein said bedspring support means is a downwardly facingchannel member.
 4. A fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidfixture has at each side thereof a support adapted to be mounted in thebase of a sofa at a respective side of the base, a first arm pivoted forswinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis extending inend-to-end direction in respect to the sofa, a head section support linkinterconnecting said first arm and the pivotal interconnection betweenthe head section and the body section, a second arm pivoted for swingingmovement on the support on a horizontal axis parallel to and below andforward of the axis of said first arm, a bell crank pivoted on the sideof the body section, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at the upperend of said second arm having one end constituting its rearward endpivotally interconnected with said head section support link and itsother end constituting its front end pivotally interconnected with oneend of the bell crank, and wherein said linkage means comprises a pivotarm pivotally connected to said body section side bar intermediate theends of the latter and extending rearwardly therefrom carrying saidbedspring support means, and a link interconnecting said lever and saidpivot arm.